The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) appreciates your interest in employment at our growing institution. We want your application process to go smoothly and quickly. Final applications must be submitted prior to the close of the recruitment.
If you need assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please contact our recruitment helpline at (775) 784-1495 or jobs@unr.edu. For UNR Med professional job postings, please contact the Office of Professional Recruitment at (775) 784-6778.
Job Description
University Police Department, Northern Command is recruiting for a full-time University Police Sergeant. Positions may be assigned to any campus to include the University of Nevada, Reno, Truckee Meadows Community College, Desert Research Institute, and Western Nevada College.
The Sergeant is responsible for supervising an assigned staff of officers to include planning activities, development and implementation of departmental goals, evaluation, discipline, and training. Additionally, the position will patrol, conduct investigations, enforce laws and write reports among other duties.
The successful candidate will have a professional work ethic, good communication/interpersonal skills and a demonstrated commitment to the mission and values of University Police Services.
University Police Department, Northern Command is a full-service police department comprised of patrol operations, administration and a detective division. Services include a canine program, walking and bicycle patrols, and a pro-active, selective traffic enforcement program and takes a leadership role in preparing the University to respond to large-scale crises and events. The department consists of 73 employees (37 full-time sworn officers, 6 sworn part-time, 8 non-sworn part-time, 12 students, and 10 full & part-time civilian support staff). The patrol area for Police Services encompasses all Nevada System of Higher Education facilities in the Reno Metropolitan area, which is approximately 106 square miles, and some facilities statewide. For more information, please visit: https://www.unr.edu/police
Required Qualifications
Graduation from high school or equivalent education and two years of journey level law enforcement experience; OR
Associate of Arts Degree or equivalent coursework in criminal justice, psychology, police science or closely related field and one year of journey level law enforcement experience; OR
Two years of experience as a University Police Officer II in Nevada State service.
Pursuant to NRS 284.4066, this position has been identified as affecting public safety. Persons offered employment in this position must submit to a pre-employment screening for controlled substances.
A valid driver’s license is required at the time of appointment and as a condition of continuing employment.
A psychological test and evaluation, which may include polygraph testing, is required.
Applicant must meet and maintain current Peace Officer’s Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) requirements as established in the Nevada Revised Statutes and Nevada Administrative Code.
Applicant must hold a Nevada P.O.S.T. Category 1 Certification OR must qualify for Category 1 Certification reciprocity with the State of Nevada. Visit http://post.nv.gov for reciprocity eligibility requirements and reciprocity states.
Pursuant to NAC 289.110.2 and NAC 289.110.3, persons offered employment in this position must submit to a preemployment background investigation to include, without limitation: (a) investigation of current and past employment, including duties assigned to the person and any performance evaluations; (2) an inquiry into the criminal history of the person in the State of Nevada and in any other state where the person is known to have resided; (3) an inquiry to the DMV and the appropriate entity in each other state in which the person is known to have resided regarding any driver’s licenses the person has held and the driving record of the person; (4) financial history; (5) educational background; (6) history of any military service; (7) history of each physical address where the person has resided; (8) a drug screening test; (9) psychological evaluation; and (10) a polygraph examination as defined in NRS 613.440 for a peace officer being appointed to as a Category I peace officer.
Pursuant to NAC 289.110.4, the Nevada System of Higher Education will not appoint a person to perform the duties of a peace officer if they have: (a) been convicted of a felony in this State or of any offense which would be a felony if committed in this State; (b) been convicted of an offense involving moral turpitude or the unlawful use, sale or possession of a controlled substance; a documented history of physical violence; or (d) resigned in lieu of termination or been terminated from any civil service employment for substantiated misconduct involving dishonesty.
Schedule
Applicants must be willing to work any shift, weekends, and holidays.
Compensation Grade
Grade 42
To view the classified compensation schedules, please visit: Classified Compensation. Select Salary schedule, PP01. In classified service, salary is in Grade and Step. The Grade is determined when the position was created. The Step is determined based on the Nevada Administrative Code.
To view the classified compensation schedules, please visit: Classified Compensation. Select Salary Schedules for Unit G
For more information, visit the Classified Salary Calculator
The Perks of PERS
Employees are enrolled in The Public Employees’ Retirement System of Nevada (PERS) upon hire. For information on contribution rates, please visit: NV PERS Contribution Rates
Rich retirement plan - Retirement Calculator
Perks of Working at UNR
Health insurance options including dental and vision - Health Insurance
Life insurance, generous annual and sick leave - Classified Benefits
E. L. Wiegand Fitness Center offers annual or semester memberships and spouse/domestic partner membership options. E.L. Wiegand Fitness Center
Mountain EAP supports employees (and eligible dependents) through life's difficult moments. Mountain EAP is located in Reno and specializes in counseling and advising services for personal or interpersonal issues.
Staff Employees’ Council (SEC) represents all Classified employees. SEC holds monthly meetings to provide a forum for employees to participate. SEC
Grants-in-aid for Classified Employees
The University encourages employees to pursue training and educational opportunities available to them through the Nevada System of Higher Education institutions. Tuition is paid in full when Classified employees enroll in a course that can apply toward the completion of a degree or is job-related. Classified Staff Grants-In-Aid Benefit
Classified Employee Family Opportunity Program
The University offers this program for spouses, domestic partners, and dependents of Classified employees (working at least 50%). The Classified Employee Family Opportunity Program may be used for undergraduate and graduate state-supported courses. Classified Employee Family Opportunity Program
Exempt
NoFull-Time Equivalent
100.0%Required Attachment(s)
Attach the following attachments to the Resume/CV section of your application. The system will accept multiple attachments to this section of the application up to 5MB. Please contact jobs@unr.edu, the day you apply, if assistance is needed with attachments.
1) Resume/CV (Required) – List a detailed description of the major duties that you performed as part of each job. You must demonstrate that you qualify for the position and your education and experience must be clearly documented.
2) Cover Letter – Optional
3) Contact Information for Three Supervisory References (Required) – Please make a note if you do not want your present employer contacted unless necessary to determine your qualifications for the position.
4) Copy of your P.O.S.T. Category 1 Certification (Required)
5) Transcripts – (optional) If you have not graduated, please attach your transcripts to receive education credit for classes you have taken. Credit is given for classes relevant to the position.
6) Veteran Interview Consideration – (optional) – To receive interview consideration for veterans and veterans with a service-connected disability, proof is required at the time of application. Please attach proof electronically to your application under the Resume/CV section. (Examples of acceptable documents include DD-214, disability letter from Veteran's Administration, etc)
7) Veteran Bonus Points – (optional) - To receive bonus points for being a veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or a disabled veteran, proof must be submitted on your application. (Examples of acceptable documents include DD-214, disability letter from Veteran's Administration, widow’s documentation, etc.).
Training and Experience Exam
This recruitment requires an exam. You will be asked to answer the below questions at the time you apply. It is essential that responses to the questions include extensively detailed information with timeframes regarding education and experience. Your score will be based on the information provided in your application and your responses to the questions asked below. If there are several parts to a question, answer each part separately. Along with each answer, identify the position(s) and/or training (as described in your application) where you gained the background asked for in the question. Absence of experience/training asked for in a question is not necessarily disqualifying. Failure to answer the questions will result in a score based solely on the application.
1) Describe your experience, including number of years, supervising/training law enforcement officers.
2) Describe your experience, including number of years, conducting special or confidential criminal investigations.
3) Describe your experience, including number of years, planning and organizing a segment or a unit of a law enforcement operation, i.e. parking enforcement, government liaison, training programs, etc.
4) How many years of law enforcement experience do you possess?
5) What is the highest degree you have completed?
Sergeant Assessment Center Testing is currently scheduled for January 15, 2026.
Posting Close Time
This posting will close at 12:00 am on the date listed below. The posting will no longer be available to apply to after 11:59 pm the day prior.
Posting Close Date
12/8/2025Note to Applicant
A background check will be conducted on the candidate(s) selected for hire.
HR will attempt to verify academic credentials upon receipt of hiring documents. If the academic credentials cannot be verified, HR will notify the faculty member that an official transcript of their highest degree must be submitted within thirty days of the faculty member’s first day of employment.
References will be contacted at the appropriate phase of the recruitment process.
Applicants hired on a federal contract may be subject to E-Verify.
As part of the hiring process, applicants for positions in the Nevada System of Higher Education may be required to demonstrate the ability to perform job-related tasks.
For positions that require driving, evidence of a valid driver's license will be required at the time of employment and as a condition of continued employment.
Schedules are subject to change based on organizational needs.
The University of Nevada, Reno is committed to providing a place of work and learning free of discrimination on the basis of a person’s age (40 or older), disability, whether actual or perceived by others (including service-connected disabilities), gender (including pregnancy related conditions), military status or military obligations, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, race (including hair texture and protected hairstyles such as natural hairstyles, afros, bantu knots, curls, braids, locks and twists), color, or religion (protected classes).
About Us
The University of Nevada, Reno is a leading public research university committed to the promise of a future powered by knowledge. Founded in 1874 as Nevada’s original land-grant university, the University serves more than 23,000 undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 63 countries.
Classified by the Carnegie® Classification of Institutions of Higher Education as an R1 (“Very High Research”) university, it is also recognized in the Carnegie® Community Engagement classification. The University is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the “Best National Universities” and “Best National Public Universities.” It also ranks in the top tier of the WSJ/Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the New York Times’ “Top Colleges for Economic Diversity.”
Since 2009, nearly $1 billion has been has invested in advanced labs, facilities, and residence halls on the main campus. The University is home to Nevada’s first medical school – the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and the Wayne L. Prim Campus at Lake Tahoe, where education, research, and creative work thrive in a stunning mountain setting. The University delivers on its original land-grant mission with outreach across the state through the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Small Business Development Center, the Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and Wolf Pack Athletics.
The main campus is in Reno, Nevada, a burgeoning global technology hub with a vibrant midtown and downtown. Found where the high desert of the Great Basin meets the High Sierra and Lake Tahoe, the beautiful, 290-acre main campus is also a Nevada State Arboretum. The University’s physical infrastructure is expanding with ongoing construction of the newly named John Tullock Business Building, set to open in fall 2025. Groundbreaking is also planned for a new State Public Health Laboratory Building on campus, alongside the recent acquisition of 16 parcels near campus, known as “University Village,” to provide affordable housing for graduate students and early career faculty.
Collaborating with world-renowned organizations, the University fosters innovation through initiatives such as the Digital Wolf Pack partnership with Apple, which ensures equitable access to technology for students, providing new incoming freshman or transfer students with an iPad Air and accessories. Google’s TechWise initiate is an 18-month program that fully supports undergraduate students in becoming entry-level software engineers by graduation.
In 2023, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced that Nevada – led by the University of Nevada, Reno – was named one of the inaugural 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (TechHubs). Nevada was selected from a competitive pool of 489 applicants from across the United States and its territories. Nevada’s Tech Hub will strengthen America’s lithium batteries, critical elements and other electric vehicle materials industry sectors within the state.
Through its commitment to high-impact education, world-improving research and creative activity, and outreach that’s transforming Nevada’s communities and businesses, the University continues its 150-year tradition of benefitting our state, nation and world.
The University recognizes that diversity promotes excellence in education and research. The inclusive and engaged community on campus recognizes the added value that students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds bring to the educational experience.
Today, the University delivers on its original land-grant mission of access to education and knowledge by investing in the academics, facilities, support, engagement and vibrant campus life that promote our diverse students’ cognitive growth and academic achievement – all while remaining one of the best values in American higher education.
For more information, please visit the University’s website.